Exposing human trafficking

It's a crime that largely goes unseen and under-reported, yet its victims, who number in the thousands, are children as young as age 12, sometimes even younger.

The crime is human trafficking, and South Florida is a big player.

"Sex trafficking is a really huge problem, and as we peel back the layers we see that it's more pervasive then we thought," said Lauren Hersh, New York director of Equality Now, a global human rights organization for women and girls.

Hersh was one of several informed speakers at a five-hour, comprehensive symposium on human trafficking Jan. 21 at Temple Torah in Boynton Beach. Presented by the National Council of Jewish Women, Palm Beach County Sections, and the Jewish Women's Foundation of the Greater Palm Beaches, "Out of Bondage: Combating Sex Trafficking in South Florida," was sponsored by more than 20 organizations and local temples, and drew nearly 400 participants.

The program included topics such as, "Addressing Sex Trafficking in South Florida: What We Must Do" and "The Current State of Anti-Trafficking Laws in Florida." In addition, a panel discussion on "Action Plan: Community Service, Awareness, and Advocacy" with panelists Macaluso, Vazquez and Kerner was moderated by Forum Publishing Group Senior Editor Jennifer Jhon, also editor of South Florida Parenting and Teenlink.

Amid the disturbing facts and statistics of human trafficking brought to light by the speakers, it was the personal story told by Katariina Rosenblatt, a survivor who was "recruited" at her middle school at age 14, that had the strongest emotional impact on the audience.

"A recruiter befriended me and my mother, and coming from an abusive home, I didn't know the difference between good love and bad love," said Rosenblatt, who went on to found an organization for sex trafficking survivors and at-risk children called There is H.O.P.E. for Me.

"One out of nine school children in our public schools are being recruited," she said. "My girlfriend's father was a sex trafficker. I went to a sleep-over — instead of pancakes for breakfast, we had cocaine. Most girls in sex trafficking never get out of it. They die from an overdose or a disease."

Many victims of sex trafficking are young "runaways," and according to statistics, Florida has about 30 to 40,000 runaways. The children, many of them abused, are looking for the love and attention and the traffickers provide that as a way to recruit them. Once under their control, the traffickers use drugs and psychological abuse to control the victims. They also employ threats and beatings to control the victims.

"One in seven children runs away, and within 48 hours of being on the streets, that are picked up by sex traffickers," Ratzan said.

"Community awareness is the linchpin in addressing sex trafficking," she said. "They have to understand this is the darkest place in our community and is impacting children in our own backyards."

Joan Baron, president of the Florida Atlantic Region of Hadassah also attended the symposium. "I was aware of sex trafficking, but I had no idea it was so widespread — and right here at our backdoor."

Aronberg said "silence is the enemy" when it comes to human trafficking. "Symposiums like this are important in getting the word out," he said. "We have resources in place to combat this problem, but we need to get the word out."

Participants attending the seminar were asked to sign a petition urging members of Congress to support the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2013 that is up for a vote.

Arlene Davidson, NCJW event co-chair, and Florida State Policy Advocate said there are two things "people can do" to help resolve the problem of sex trafficking.

"I feel that one of the key concerns is awareness," she said. "Tell five people and ask each of those five people to tell five more people about the dangers surrounding the entire issue. So many people are totally unaware of the scourge that is sex trafficking."

Supporting the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2013 is another.

Tami L. Baldinger, JWF executive director and symposium co-sponsor concurred. We had 400 people attend the event today, who are all energized and motivated to create change," she said. "We shared many exciting ideas today that can create change and help eradicate domestic sex trafficking. We need to find a way to make more people aware that this is happening in our community. We know that silence is the enemy."

For more information, or to report a suspicion of sex trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 888-3737-888.